Combination scaffold and ladder



June 22, 1965 G. 1. DANIEL 3,190,390

I COMBINATION SCAFFOLD AND LADDER Filed April 1. 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. GEORGE I DAN/[L BYWQDW June 22, 1965 G. I. DANIEL 3,190,390

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1 United States Patent 3,190,330 COMBINATION SCAFFOLD AND LADDER George 1. Daniel, 302 S. lngleside Drive, Albany, Ga. Filed Apr. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 356,581 Claims. (G. 182-4) The. present invention relates to scaifolds and ladders and more particularly to a ladder and pedestal supports by neans of which the ladder can be converted into a scafold.

Heretofore ladders have been of simple construction to permit use in various inclined positions and some ladders have been used as the platform of a scaffold, but it has been difficult to arrange any of the structures of the prior art known to applicant to provide for effectively providing a ladder of general utility with the same ladder useful with standards to obtain a scafiold suitable for supporting workmen in the most advantageous position for working on inclined gables and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a ladder and scaffold combination which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art and assures horizontal foot-engaging treads in all positions of the ladder and in all positions of a scaffold while permitting inclined arrangement of the scaffold.

Another object is to provide adjustable pedestals which can be effectively positioned and held in supporting relation to a scatfold platform to assure safety at all times.

Other and further objects will be apparent as the description proceeds and upon reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of a pair of pedestals with tie rod braces and a ladder according to the present invention, with a portion of the ladder and tie rods broken away to save space.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a ladder shown in horizontal position with a removable yoke which slidably supports the ladder at one end in a scaffolded operating relation.

FIGURE 3 is a similar view of the other yoke and the ladder showing the rails of the ladder and the control bars of the steps pivotally connected to the yoke.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view, with parts in section, taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal fragmentary section taken substantially on line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view showing the releasable means to prevent pivotal movement of the ladder treads.

Other and further objects will be apparent as the description proceeds upon more detailed reference to the drawings where like reference numerals indicate like A pair of supports in the form of pedestals 10 and 11 are shown of identical construction and each includes a base plate 12, a tube 13 extending vertically therefrom with a plurality of gusset plates 14 secured to the base and to the first tube 13 by any suitable means, such as welding or the like, while a second tube 15 of greater length than the first tube 13 is telescopically adjustable relative to tube 13 and is retained in position by bolts or studs 16 passing through transverse bores 17 in the first tube 13 so that the second tube 15 may rest on the studs 16 to maintain any selected height of the upper end of the second tube 15. A cap 18 made of a tube section is slotted at its upper end receiving a cross member 19 of channel shape of a first yoke welded to the cap 18 with end struts 21, 21 welded to i the opposite ends of the cross member 19. A roller 23 is rotatably mounted on the inner surface of each end strut adjacent the free extremity by means of a shouldered bolt 24 passing through the web of the adjacent channel rail 25 of the ladder with a washer 26 adjacent the outer surface of the web and a spacer 27 between the inner 3,i9,3% Patented June 22, 1965 ice surface of .the web and the roller 23. The channel rail 25 is secured in pivotal relation to the adjacent strut of the yoke by means of the nut 28 which is held in assembled position by conventional means such as a cotter pm.-

A control bar 29 is also pivotally connected to each end strut 21, 21 of the yoke by means of a second shouldered screw 30 pivotally passing through an aperture in the control bar 29 and being fixed to the strut 21 by a nut 31 and a cotter pin or the like.

The other yoke includes a slotted cap member 31 to which a cross member 32 is fixed by lying in the slot in the upper end of the cap member 31 and being welded thereto with end struts 33, 33 welded thereto. On the inner surface of each strut 33 adjacent the free extremity a roller 23 is rotatably mounted on a short shouldered bolt 34 about which bolt the roller 23 is freely rotatable and such rollers 23 support the channel-shaped rails 25, 25 of the ladder for longitudinal movement of the ladder relative to the yoke 32, 33, 33.

The ladder includes the outwardly opening channelshaped side rails 25 and a plurality of pivotally mounted steps, each including a tread 35, a riser 36 and ends 37, 37 with recnforcing plates 38, 38 welded to the steps to reenforce the steps where third shouldered bolts 39 pivotally connect each end 37 of each step to the adjacent web of the ladder channel 25 for free pivotal movement of each step 35, 36, 37. Each end 37 is pivotally connected to the cooperating control bar by means of rivets or the like whereby all of the treads of the steps remain in parallel relation with each other.

The yoke 13, 19, 21, 21 remains with the ladder at all times while the yoke 31, 32, 33, 33 can be moved by relative longitudinal movement with respect to the rails 25 of the ladder.

The yoke 18, 19, 21, 21 when supported by its pedestal 10 prevents the treads and the steps of which the treads are a part from rocking about the pivots 39, but when the ladder is used independently of the pedestals, the steps may rock about such pivots 39 but to prevent such rocking, a strut member 46 made of relatively stiff flexible resilient strap metal has an eye 41 formed at one end thereof around the bolt 30 and is provided with a slot 42 through which one or more screws 43 pass and are threaded into threaded apertures in the adjacent flange of the rail 25 whereby when the screws 43 are loose the strut may slide relative to the channel 25 and when the screws 43 are tightened the strut 40 fixes the relative positions of the control bar 29 and the associated ladder channel 25.

The strut connection means as serves to fix the posi: tion of the steps including treads 35 when the ladder is used without a pedestal retaining the yoke 19, 21, 21 in a definite position.

To prevent lateral separation of the pedestals from each other, each pedestal is provided with a collar 45 of strap metal with the ends secured by a bolt 46, which bolt passes through the adjacent end of an adjustable length tie rod made of sections 47, 48. A second tie rod made of sections 47, 43 extends from one collar of one pedestal to the base of the other pedestal and is secured to the gusset 14 by a bolt 49 passing through the gusset and passing through the tie rod section 455. The means to adjust the length of each tie rod is shown by the center section in which the tie rod section 48 is provided with an elongated slot while the tie rod section 47 is provided with a plurality of apertures '56 through which apertures and slots bolts 51 pass to secure the tie rod sections in adjusted relation. Similarly a tie rod made of sections 47, 48 connects the gusset 14 of one pedestal to the collar 45 of the other pedestal, thereby providing diagonal bracing to assure that the pedestals remain upright.

.iFrQm h a v sdeseriptic w l .beefiden ha applicant has provided a ladder which may be used in the conventional manner and has also provided a scaflold whichtinclucles adjustahle height pedestals supporting the ladder for use asv ascattoldplatforrn, with the structure providing for any a ngular position of the plattorm for supporting workmen in the most advantageousposition,for work on inclined objects such as the gables of a roof.,

It -will be apparen-Lthat changes may ,bemade within the scopeof the invention asvdefine' d by the valid scope of the appended'claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A scatfold and ladder combination comprising a pair ,of vertically adjustable pedestals, each pedestal including a'base for supportiona generally horizontalsurface, a first tube projecting vertically from theicenter of said baseand fixed to said base, a second tube telescopically mounted within saidfirst tubeand alcngth so one e projects from said first .tube, means to adjustably .maintain said tubes atvarious combined lengths to vary .the height of each pedestal, a yoke receivingcap rotatably mounted on the projecting end ,of said second tube, said cap having a yoke receiving slot, ayokeincl-uding cross member with an upstanding strut at eachend, said yoke being .fixedly mounted in said :slot of said cap,-a collar on the upper end of -said first tube, an adjustable length tie rod extending between said collar of one pedestal and the collarof the other pedestal, an adjustable length tie rod extending between said collar of ,one pedestal andthe-base ofthe other.pedestal, and an adjustable length tie rod extending ,between said collar ofthe other pedestal and base of said one pedestal whereby said pedestals will be maintained in substantially fixedlparallel relation preventing separation of said pedestals, a ladder channel supporting roller mounted on the inner surface of the free extremity of each strut of .each yoke, a ladder having ,apair of outwardly opening channel shaped rails and a plurality of pivotally mounted steps including treads with risers and ends between said rails, a control bar pivotally connected t-oone end of each step, another control bar pivotally connected vto the other end ofeac step, means to .piyotally connect saidrails' of said ladder to t he strut ends ofsaid one yoke While pr venti longitudinal movement of said ladder with respeetto said one yoke, means to ,pivotally connect each cont-rol bar to the adjacent strut ;end of said one yokein -pa-rallelog 11am relation with respect to the pivotal connections of said steps to the ladder rails and to the control bars, means to releasably secure said control bars against movement relative to said channels, ,the other end of said ladder being movablysupported on the rollers of the othervyoke to permit longitudinal .movementof the ladder with respect to said other yoke whereby the angular positionlof said laddercan .be adjusted while the treads of said steps remain inparallel horizontal relation. 7

2 A scaffold andladdercombination comprising a pair of vertically adjustable pedestals, a yoke including aicross member-with an upstanding strut ateach endinounted on each pedestal, ltie rodmeans between said pedestals preventing separation of said pedestals ,a ladder channel supporting means vmounted on the inner surface of the treeextremityofeach strut of each yoke, a ladder having a pairof outwardlyopening channel shaped rails and a plurality of pivotally mounted steps including treads with risers and ends between said rails, a control barpivotally ponnected toone end vof each step, another control bar pivotally connected to the other endof each step, means to pivotally connect said rails of said'ladder to the strut ends of one yoke while preventinglongitudinal movement of said ladder with respect to s=aid one yoke, means to piv ta y connect eac c ntro .ba lto th adja en s ru end of said one yoke in parallelogram relation with respect to the pivotal connections of said steps to the ladder rails and to the control bars, the other end of said ladder being movably supported on theiladder channel. supporting means of theotheryoke to permit longitudinal movement of the ladderwith respectto-said other yoke whereby the angular position of said ladder can be adjusted while the treads of said steps remain in parallel horizontal relation; t i a t 3. A @scatfold and,. 'l 'adder combination comprisinga pair: of ,vertically adjustable ,supports, a yoke including. a lcross niern ber' with transversely i'rl'ounte'd'e'nds on eacl support, a ladder including pailsand a plurality .of pivotally mounted steps including treads 1o fsubstantial length and width, 'controlbar means pivotallylconnected tocach steplanld to a {transversely extending end ,of one yoke, means to pivotally connect, said rails of said. ladde to said one yoke while preventing ,longitudinal move- .Iment'of said ladder with respectto said' oneyoke thepivotal cennec'tions of said control bar, means to said steps. and to said one yoke 'beinginparallelogram'relation"with.re spectto vthe ipivotal connection of each step to said control ,bar melansand Ithelpivotal vconnection of each step ,to' said rails, and means .ion .the other ,yok e slidable along the length .of the' ladder and cooperating with ,the rails ',of ,said ladder :to .pr'ovide for supporting. said ladder in difierent angular positions with respect to said ,first yoke. vl Ihe invention v accordingto claim 3'in whichineans are'provi ded between onesupjport'and said oneyoke to ;maintainsaidlone yoke in a definite angular relation with respect to the horizon. I v

' 5. A'laddercorrip'rising ap'airof rails, a plurality of steps :including treads pivotally mounted between said rails, control .bar means extending in parallel relation along and,,sp'aced transverselyiror nfthe. pivotal axes of the steps and hem the said at least one rail, said control ,lpar means being. pivotally connected 1 to said, vsteps at j,-point sflspaced "from said pivotal mounting of said steps ,to provide. parallelogram relation between said rails and said control bar' means and between the pivotallconn'ecr .tions of. adjacent steps whereby each stepTpivots with the other steps tomaintain the treads in'substantially parallel relation at. alltimes, an adjustable .positivelyope'ravtive infboth.tensionandcompression and extending in a direction transverse ito theflines definedlby the pivotal nonnt'ing of any step to each rail andthe pivotal connection of the'Isame 'any step to said control bar eans, means to secure-one end of said strut .to saidjrail and means .tosecurethe other end of saidstnuttolsaid conttrol bar means, and means to adjust the effective length vof said strut between said securement .to said ,rail and said control bar means to' controlthe anglefof the steps with respect tothe rails whereby said treadstc an be made to assume a horizontal position for an infinite number of angular adjusted positions of said :ladder with respect to the horizontal, and the treads will be po sitively main- .tained in horizontalrehtionso a weight will be Sup,- ported on any point on the treads.

kRef e ice's'Citdf pro ramm UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,189,514 6/ 16 'Wallace" -is2 ;1 2,978,062 [4/6 1 DiCtimilloQQ. 13251 3,0 8,542, *5/63 Johnson. 1s2 4s 

3. A SCAFFOLD AND LADDER COMBINATION COMPRISING A PAIR OF VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTS, A YOKE INCLUDING A CROSS MEMBER WITH TRANSVERSELY MOUNTED ENDS ON EACH SUPPORT, A LADDER INCLUDING RAILS AND A PLURALITY OF PIVOTALLY MOUNTED STEPS AND TO A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING END OF ONE LENGTH AND WIDTH, CONTROL BAR MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO EACH STEP AND TO TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING END OF ONE YOKE, MEANS TO PIVOTALLY CONNECT SAID RAILS OF SAID LADDER TO SAID ONE YOKE WHILE PREVENTING LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LADDER WITH RESPECT TO SAID ONE YOKE, THE PIVOTAL CONNECTIONS OF SAID CONTROL BAR MEANS TO SAID STEPS AND TO SAID ONE YOKE BEING IN PARALLELOGRAM RELATION WITH RESPECT TO THE PIVOTAL CONNECTION OF EACH STEP TO SAID CONTROL BAR MEANS AND THE PIVOTAL CONNECTION OF EACH STEP TO SAID RAILS, AND MEANS ON THE OTHER YOKE SLIDABLE ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE LADDER AND COOPERATING WITH THE RAILS OF SAID LADDER TO PROVIDE FOR SUPPORTING SAID LADDER IN DIFFERENT ANGULAR POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST YOKE. 